Finding Research Balance: Boaty McBoatface & LEGO Ideas

There are many types of research, and choosing the one that fits your needs is a skill in itself. In this article, we will look at two examples: The UK government's public poll that led to Boaty McBoatface and LEGO's LEGO Ideas platform. These examples will help us illustrate how the way you gather insights can shape your results.

The Boaty McBoatface Story

Exploratory research is all about flexibility and uses methods such as open-ended surveys, focus groups, or crowdsourcing without much limitation to allow participants the freedom to freely express themselves and their thoughts. This type of research can be particularly useful when you want to discover new trends or insights that you might not have thought of. However, we will shortly see how when given too much freedom and not enough structure or rules, results can backfire, and you end up with responses that stray far from your intended goals.

In 2016, the UK's Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) launched an online poll asking the public to help name a new polar research vessel. The idea behind this initiative was to engage the public in a fun and creative way while gathering needed insights. However, the public's favorite and most voted on suggestion turned out to be Boaty McBoatface. While points should be given to people's humor and creativity, the name didn't really align with the serious nature of the vessel's purpose. Instead, this story served us as an example of how open-ended, exploratory research can sometimes lead to unexpected and not always useful results.

LEGO Ideas

Structured research, on the other hand, uses specific predefined questions with set answer options and clear guidelines to collect data. It focuses on gathering information that can be easily analyzed and applied. For example, if you search LEGO'S Ideas page you will be met with a platform that allows participants to submit their ideas for new sets. However, in order to successfully make a submission, LEGO has rules set in place to make sure the designs are practical and are actually a good fit for the brand. This includes rules that define what type of designs are eligible, size constraints, theme alignment, and compatibility with existing products. Though it introduces more limitations, these rules perfectly allow for a space that encourages creativity while still being useful.

Conclusion

Before you choose a research method, it is important to understand the purpose of your research and the outcomes you want to achieve. The Boaty McBoatface example shows that while exploratory research can uncover unexpected insights, it can also lead you in a direction that may not be feasible for you or the outcomes you wish to achieve (though many would argue that Boaty McBoatface was indeed brilliant, and the unplanned positive publicity ultimately resulted in a net “win”). Structured research, as seen with the LEGO Ideas platform, keeps the focus on practical and actionable results. In many cases, a balanced approach that combines the openness of exploratory methods with the focus of structured research is one of the best ways to conduct research. By knowing what you need to learn and the decisions you hope to support, you can select the right mix of research methods that leads your research to be focused and effective.